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whats wrong with me Arhh

am I alone....Ive $1000s worth of gear..I love having it and thinking photos...but lately.. every-time I consider going out into the world and taking images..I find a reason not too..or just cant be arsed.... what's wrong with me..I don't have a temperature..or a rash anywhere...but trawling through loads of images and culling, then PP-ing what's left fills me with dread..am I over photography?..do we need a support group on AP to talk people like me off the ledge?

how many others in my predicament..i was on AP a lot..but purposely kept away as I was experiencing burnout..perhaps a camera club might help...?

what do you do if the adventure wanes and your looking for reasons not to sell your gear ???? .

I can completely, completely understand. I recently went through the same thing. I was even about to sell all my gear and replace it with new gear as a 'fix'. Something to bring a spark back to my photography.
In the end I didn't.
What I did do though is to try something new.
I went and spent a few bucks on some bits and pieces from Bunnings. Set up a space in my office to shoot some close-quarters "studio"-ish stuff. Something I'd never tried before.
It served two purposes; It allowed me to try something new, and it also allowed me to do some photography work without actually having to go anywhere (I'm a lazy bugger).

My point being; go try something new with your gear. Macro, Abstract (I'm not creative enough for this), or whatever?
Just a thought anyway.....

I agree with Lurchorama, try something new. I sometime suffer from 'it's all too hard', I've used up all the excuses, too hot, too cold, too wet, too windy. But then I remember that feeling of self satisfaction when you get a shot that's better than the rest you've taken. I'm trying something new now, nothing good enough to post here on AP yet but it's giving me a little more spark. I don't think I would ever sell my gear though. I think it's a bit of a cycle we all go through at some stage. Maybe a bit of burnout? A camera club might help, I'm thinking of joining our local one here this year. Some new faces, new ideas... could help?

I think anyone who's trying to produce something artistic goes through the "I suck" phase at some point, often after they've got to a reasonably competent level and tend to plateau out a bit.

The obvious strength of digital photography is the ability to shoot easily and cheaply, but I think this can sometimes be a disadvantage as well. Because often we will shoot a whole range of things and I think we can lose direction and forget what we were passionate about in the first place. At least that's what I think has happened in my own case. What I find most helpful when I need a kick along is to look at the type of images I'd like to make. The internet is an obvious source for this (a favourite of mine is LENSCRATCH for finding new work), but occasionally I'll pull out some old magazines (such as B&W) or photo books to look for inspiration.

I think getting together with other photographers is a good idea (either camera club or otherwise) as it helps to get you out and keep shooting and will hopefully keep you going till you get your mojo back.

Haven't really used the D800 as I thought it might have inspired me too.

I got a couple of lenses I'll be getting in the next couple of months too, and now I'm questioning as to whether this is a good idea(ATM).

Work has been a bit more difficult, basically with the same level of enthusiasm as you Tommo ... most of my free weekends have been sitting at home chilling with the same couldn't be 'arsed attitude.

In the past two years I reckon I've only gone out three or four times on a photographic outing .. and really brought back not much at all.

I don't reckon you're doing anything wrong .. it's just a waiting game for when you end up feeling more enthusiastic about getting out again
(well that's what I've been telling myself for these past two years )

A Camera Club is not the answer. I went there and whilst it offers a number of options it's still the same people with the same camera gear, just different personalities.
My way was to get involved with some of the other WA members. Suggest a meet, and it doesn't have to involve photography. It can be purely social.

I have a different problem at present in that I want to get out with my gear but can't drive or pick up my camera. I'm told in time it will heal.

I agree with Lurchorama, try something new. I sometime suffer from 'it's all too hard', I've used up all the excuses, too hot, too cold, too wet, too windy. But then I remember that feeling of self satisfaction when you get a shot that's better than the rest you've taken. I'm trying something new now, nothing good enough to post here on AP yet but it's giving me a little more spark. I don't think I would ever sell my gear though. I think it's a bit of a cycle we all go through at some stage. Maybe a bit of burnout? A camera club might help, I'm thinking of joining our local one here this year. Some new faces, new ideas... could help?

Now would be the time to post this stuff up to AP, you just never know what advice you will get that will help you along with new stuff.

Sad to say I'm in the same boat. Couldn't be bothered with it all at the moment. I bought a 5D3 last year and have barely used it! I've been offered a great opportunity to shoot in Sydney but I'm wondering if I have the motivation to go for it

I must admit...even though I've never meet any of you and we are all strangers ....talking about it (writing) is helping...and knowing others face my dilemma is also reassuring in a twisted way.

I think that Im seeing the whole process of capturing, processing and posting the results all quite laborious..the PP in particular is stressful (read."Pain in arse" ) ...I really admire wedding togs..as I just couldn't do that.. wading through 100's of images would turn my brain to mush .

I thought the D800 would be my nirvana and get me out more..but like Arthur..its not had that affect.....

I share your pain Steve. I have more gear than most and plenty of it is exotic, which would maybe make you think that it motivates me more to get out and use it. I have been so lazy I often have the best intentions to get out with the camera, but simply talk myself out of it for no apparent reason other than I cannot be bothered or just simply don't bother.
I even took on a studio that is costing me quite a bit of cash each week and at best I'm only home 50% of the time to use it given my work roster, the other 50% I'm home one would think I make the most of it but I don't, I maybe visit the studio 1-2 times a week for a couple of hours, more to just get out of the house than anything. I will sit there and just browse the internet, doing nothing photo related.

I am really struggling for motivation and have considered a number of times just selling it all and moving on, but I like the gear and I know if I sold it I would want it back, but I also know that if I sold it I wouldn't want to spend all the cash to get it back again. Like you I just hate the trawl of culling through hundreds of images, and then doing all the processing, I lose interest after about a half dozen images and I have stacks of unedited images going back 2 years that I will realistically never get to touching. I think if I had more advanced pp skills, it would allow me to be a little more creative and thus interest me more, but I'm not sure...

Believe it or not I actually enjoy holding my beginners workshops and teaching others about the gear, the techniques etc more than I enjoy going and shooting the images myself and using all of my wonderful gear.

I will be at Avalon this weekend, so I'm motivated for that but things that interest me on that level are very few and far between. I was thinking the motivation will return in time, like it is cyclic, but the truth is I haven't been motivated for quite some time and I don't know if that will change.

I get cheesed of with the whole PP thing myself, especially when my work sometimes involves 8-10 hours on a PC with a fair amount of PP. What I have found helps is when I shoot for fun, I only take limited images. Very rarely do I now come home with more than 50 images from a days shooting. When the good ones are weeded out, PP becomes not so involved. I also try new PP all the time. Keeps the interest there.

I thought the D800 would be my nirvana and get me out more..but like Arthur..its not had that affect.....

Expect a lot, be disappoint. Expect nothing ...., expectation exceeded.
Anyway, I haven't had much motivation lately. This is to do with life and carries over to my photography. However I do wish to use my camera and have some sort of thought process happening. So, at the moment the members challenge gives me a reason to go and get some sort of photo each week .... http://www.ausphotography.net.au/for...lenges-52-2013

The world turns slowly Steve.

"Enjoy what you can do rather than being frustrated at what you can't." bobt
Canon 80D, 60D, Canon 28-105, Sigma 150-600S.

For me, I'm waiting for the cooler more interesting days of Autumn Seems that whenever I've wanted to go take some photos, it's been a furnace outside I see you live in WA, perhaps you'll feel more inspired in a few weeks, cheers Deb

I was having a bit of a similar issue. I was only taking a few shots of nothing really inspiring. My solution happened on the weekend. A mate is going away and we all went down to the gold coast and got drunk. I didn't even take my camera out of the car at first. Until he asked if anyone had anything better to take pictures than a phone. I went down and got my camera. The results were 250 shots of people and the area (different from the usual place) and of people progressively getting more drunk.

Most are just crap from a serious photography point of view. But damn it was fun. Just do something that brings back the fun into it.

I am going through this phase at the moment, and have before, and found ( for me anyway ) it best not to force myself, but let the urge return. This has happened when eg out walking or in the car, and I see something that interests and motivates me, and it just happens from there. Maybe try something different, and just enjoy the experience.